Project 1, as an M&A Advisor:
The CEO founder of a consulting firm hired Pierre to advise and assist him to evaluate potential buyers of his firm and to assist in the negotiation and structuring of the price and terms. This CEO had recently been approached by a larger regionally-based firm. Each of the respective principals theorized that the union of these two firms would be a perfect marriage with plenty of synergies – where the value and performance from combining
the two companies would be significantly greater than the sum of the two businesses separately. To facilitate an amicable transaction, each of the firms hired Pierre to mediate a transaction that would be ‘fair’ to each party. Soon after being retained by both groups, Pierre identified significant impediments that would make a happy union unlikely including incompatible corporate cultures, values, decision-making, compensation systems, and primary motivations as to why they work. Although Pierre strongly advised each party to walk away from the deal and not merge, both firms decided to proceed. Pierre assisted them to
negotiate the terms of the agreement and close the deal.
Project #2 as an Executive Coach:
Immediately following the closing, the merged firm hired Pierre to assist them with post-closing integration issues. Soon, the incompatible impediments that Pierre had identified become more apparent. Pierre recommended the merged firm ‘spin-off’ a unique division of the combined entity to a third-party national firm and suggested the CEO founder exit the day-to-day operations of the merged firm to spend his work time running the spin-off for the third-party national firm. A few years later, the merged firm followed Pierre’s advice and sold the unique division to the identified national firm where the CEO founder found compatibility in incompatible corporate culture, values, decision-making, compensation system, and primary motivations.
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